Gabrielle Wilby Shares Firsthand Experience of LVHN and Jefferson Health Coming Together

Just a few months before beginning her career as a physician assistant at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), Gabrielle Wilby, PA-C, learned the health network was becoming part of Jefferson Health. As a graduate of Thomas Jefferson University, she immediately saw the benefits this would provide to students, the organizations and residents of Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley and beyond.

“The collaboration between these two great health systems creates better outcomes for clinicians, patients and medical students,” she says. “I’m happy to see it bringing more accessible care to where I call home.”

Growing up in the Lehigh Valley and graduating from Parkland High School where she played soccer, Wilby was already very familiar with LVHN. After a lot of research and time spent shadowing clinicians, she decided to pursue a career as a physician assistant.

When she was looking for a school to attend, the Opens in new tab Health Sciences BS/Physician Assistant Studies MS Dual Degree program at Thomas Jefferson University was the perfect fit. The program offers a combined undergraduate and graduate degree that students can complete in just five years instead of the traditional six years.

“As a recent graduate, I value being part of such a comprehensive health system,” she says. “This merger provides students with more opportunities to branch out, connect and gain experience in diverse settings and specialties. It’s fostering a new generation of well-rounded health care professionals.”

After graduating from Thomas Jefferson University’s East Falls campus, Wilby remained open-minded about where she might find her first position as a physician assistant.

“I considered all my options knowing I was just starting and needed to gain experience. Finding where I'm at now is the result of so many stars aligning at the right time,” she says. “At LVHN, I found an opening in urology with a surgical specialty at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg.”

Urology was a rotation she’d completed at Thomas Jefferson University, and it was a specialty she really liked.

“In highly innovative fields like urology, where procedures and technologies are rapidly evolving, this partnership helps ensure we remain at the forefront of advancements and continue to deliver exceptional care,” she says.

Most importantly, Wilby is excited for the benefits to people seeking care.

She notes the combined system of Jefferson Health and LVHN will increase access to care and specialists across Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania. Delivering high-quality and cost-effective care, and managing the health of these communities, remains fundamental to the mission.

“Additionally, the merger allows people to build strong relationships among clinicians in the same network,” she says. “I’m grateful to Thomas Jefferson University for the education I received and to LVHN for giving me my first professional position. I love being able to work in Pennsylvania close to where I grew up and doing work that is so rewarding.”